Man Jailed for Attempted Murder After Setting Fire in Edinburgh Highrise

A man has been sentenced to six years in prison for attempted murder after setting a fire inside an Edinburgh highrise in November last year in an act the sentencing judge said could have resulted in a Grenfell Tower-like disaster.

Prosecutors said Craig McQuillian, 44, used petrol to start the fire outside his victims’ door at the Fidra Court building in Edinburgh. A young child inside raised the alarm after he “smelt burning while in bed,” they said.

According to Edinburgh Live, McQuillian was targeting Thomas Shirley, in what the paper said was a “family feud”.

Shirley was praised by the sentencing judge for his “quick thinking and bravery” in putting out the fire, while McQuillian was told, “You need to look no further than the tragedy at Grenfell Tower to know the potential consequences of your criminal conduct.”

CCTV and doorbell camera footage shows McQuillian on the night of his crime. Credit: Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service via Storyful